


Beneath the Winter Moon, I Remember When I Fell for You

by CassidyLeora



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bartender Vanitas, Christmas Fluff, First Meetings, Getting Together, M/M, Mascot Shenanigans, Minor Aqua/Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Minor Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Photographer Ventus, Roxas is in one scene, Ski Lodge Setting, but it's a very GOOD scene, they argue and yearn for each other in equal measure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28305111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassidyLeora/pseuds/CassidyLeora
Summary: There's a lot Ventus loves about working at the Snow Bunny Ski Lodge every winter: the break from his painfully difficult astronomy classes, the unbeatable sunrises, the free snowboarding pass, the time spent with like-minded people...But this year, Ventus has a new favorite part: the mysterious rabbit mascot.
Relationships: Vanitas & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Vanitas/Ventus (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 40





	Beneath the Winter Moon, I Remember When I Fell for You

**Author's Note:**

> Ventus works at a ski lodge, and grows fond of the cute bunny mascot and hot bartender just as quick as he grows to loathe his noisy neighbor. I truly don't know how else to describe this story.
> 
> I had to google so much snowboarding terminology for this, please read it.
> 
> Title from the song Winter Moon by Mindy Gledhill, which I listened to on repeat while writing.
> 
> (The words 'Snow Bunny mascot uniform' near the beginning link to an image for an idea of what the mascot uniform looks like!)

There were a lot of perks to working at the Snow Bunny Ski Lodge every winter break.

Besides the long break from Ventus’ exhausting studies as an astronomy student, he looked forward to the long trip north for a few others reason. He got a free ski pass, for one, which meant he could spend all his off hours snowboarding down the mountain again and again until he crashed into his warm bed, achy and slightly damp from melted snow but soul satisfied in a way that only this place could offer. Another perk is the aforementioned bed—the dorm style room that was assigned to him and fellow employees, curtesy of the lodge, wasn’t nearly as nice as what they offered to paying guests, but it kept him from having to make the hour long drive every morning up the snowy mountains to get to work. The place was heated, with piles of blankets already stacked in the closet and a vending machine right outside his door that was always stocked with his favorite peanut M&Ms.

Surrounded by laid back 20-something-year-olds like himself, getting to explore the bustling city after his shift for as long as he wanted, meeting new people every day and sharing his knowledge and love for snow sports to eager learners—the list of perks could go on and on.

But the greatest part about his job was the new hire.

The poor guy who had to wear the [Snow Bunny mascot uniform](https://www.greatmascot.com/image/cache/mascotnew/new989-800x800.jpg).

Since Ventus has been working here in the winters for a few years now, it was obvious when something or, in this case, someone new joined the team, and this new someone quickly became his favorite addition.

It wasn’t just that the mascot uniform was adorable—the suit was well made with silky smooth white fuzz and a fluff-trimmed cape with the Lodge’s colors of burgundy and navy blue, long ears reaching into the air that bounced with movement and a little pink nose between sweet black eyes, the silhouette rounded and huggable—it was also that the employee inside was very clearly one of the most miserable people he’d ever met.

And he hasn’t even really ‘met’ them.

Ventus had no idea who was in the suit, you see—their breaks never happened at the same time, and most days when he arrived at dawn, the guy was already suited up and dragging his feet through the snow to his place by the rental cabin.

Which, lucky for Ventus, was where he worked.

So, after tugging on his deep red thermal jacket uniform, he unlocked the cabin and set to work pulling open the metal above the counter, the burst of cold air rushing into the cabin a welcome and familiar thing.

More welcome and becoming increasingly familiar was the mascot, already outside, the white suit blending into the surroundings. When the rental window opened with a clatter, he shifted a miniscule amount to look over at Ventus, the big black eyes unblinking as they stared in his direction. He raised a single paw in greeting, to which Ventus returned with a big grin before beginning to catalogue the snowboards before guests began to arrive.

He often wondered how the guy could even see out of that thing—the suit didn’t appear to have any holes or slits in the helmet, so maybe the black eyes were sheer enough to see through? More importantly, how did he even breath in there? Isn’t it stifling, even in this freezing weather?

Ventus would be eager to ask about it, but all he knew about the new employee is that he was a male. Ventus had seen the suit set out in the men’s lockers enough times to surmise he sets it out there after changing each night, ready for the next morning.

He’d tried asking around during break and off hours, but it seems hardly anyone working here had seen the guy out of his costume, let alone speak with him or even get a name. Even Sora, the puppy-turned-human who works behind him at the counter, couldn’t give him a solid answer—and Sora knows EVERYONE, so this guy must be seriously elusive, changed and gone before anyone can introduce themselves. No one’s even seen him in the break room, so he must take his lunch somewhere secluded, or eats out at one of the establishments off the side of the mountain.

Sora did see him one single time, though, and he told Ventus the story in a conspiring whisper, as if relaying top secret information.

“I bumped into him right when he was leaving the dressing room,” he’d said, leaning real close to Ventus when there was a lull in customers. “He’s about my height, so don’t let the padded rabbit slippers fool you. His hair is dark and skin real pale, but I couldn’t see much else since he had his head ducked, and he was totally rude! I said I’m sorry, obviously, for running into him, and this guy— _this guy!_ —pushes right past me and just walked away! He just _left_! Can you believe that?”

Sora then glared across the snow at the man in the bunny suit, who was standing as still as a statue, you had to wonder if he’d fallen asleep in there. Seeing Sora shoot such vicious daggers at the world’s cutest mascot character, Ventus couldn’t help but laugh, which only served to turn Sora’s rage toward himself.

Anyway, this means that each day, Ventus looked forward to this little mystery in his life, this stranger who entertained him from morning to sundown, who made him laugh when he was having a rough day or kept him from being bored the few times the slopes were dwindling.

As much joy that Ventus got from this guy, he himself seemed to hate his job.

Ventus couldn’t exactly blame him—besides getting to stay bundled in such a thick suit in this freezing weather, the job looked rough. Customers would rush him from all sides, posing for pictures or wanting a hug, kids would try to climb up his legs and teenagers would take turns sneaking up and punching him as hard as they could before scattering, and the bottom of the paw slippers must have horrible grip judging by the number of times he’s fallen flat on the snow.

Ventus stopped taking count after 36 times over the last 2 weeks. The poor guy spent more time busting his ass than he did greeting anyone.

Sometimes, when Ventus was busy passing over a set of skis or teaching a new sledder how to strap on their snowboard properly, Ventus would just have to glance over and watch as the bunny flailed on the ground, struggling to roll onto hands and knees and wobbling as he rose to his feet, standing still for a second before dragging his feet as he meandered off. Other times, he would just lay there for so many minutes, not even attempting to get up, until Ventus grew concerned that he was dead and went to check on him.

But most times when the mascot fell over, Ventus would rush out of the door and help him up, gripping the pink padded paws with his own and planting his feet to heft him off the floor, gripping his arms until he was sure he regained his balance.

“You okay?” Ventus would ask, feeling a little silly by looking into the unseeing black eyes of the rabbit, but knowing someone was in there past that.

In true pro mascot manner, the guy would never answer, knowing that he’d likely get fired if someone heard him talking in there, but he’d give Ventus a tired thumbs up. At least, as close to a thumbs up as you can get when wearing giant bunny mittens. Ventus would take a second to dust off the snow from the rabbit’s cape, amazed at how soft the material was, and then hurry back to his workstation.

Despite the harsh working conditions, the guy was great at staying in character—from sun up to sun down, he was strutting around the bottom of the slopes, waving at newcomers and getting down in his knees for photos with kids. The customers seemed to love him, so Ventus could see the merit in adding this position, but, as he sipped his cocoa, snug next to a heater in a building that blocked the wind, he couldn’t help but feel bad for him.

It must be tiring, not being able to talk or sit or snack while on the clock, being pushed around and touched without being able to defend yourself.

There were a few moments when Ventus saw the strain in the attitude of the bunny—or, maybe, when he saw the real personality of the boy inside.

When the crowds of excited skiers would finally disperse, his posture would slouch, and he would hang his head for a moment. It might be funny, the cute winter rabbit looking so dejected alone in the snow, but after seeing firsthand what he goes through day after day and imagining the kind of expression he might have underneath the mask, Ventus failed to find the humor in it. He would often stay this way, not allowed to sit and rest his legs, until the next customers arrived, when he would jump right back into character without pause.

Despite his growing sympathy for the mascot, Ventus still looked forward to his antics. Everyday there was something new, a different goofy pose or dull moments when he lazily spun in slow circles to entertain himself to pass the time. The highlight of Ventus week is when the school buses would pull in—seeing the bunny attempt to handle a hoard of 12 year olds pouncing at his knees like a pack of rabid dogs never ceased to be funny.

But Ventus’ favorite moments of them all were when the bunny approached him.

A few rare times he would march over to the cabin’s window, leaving behind giant pawprints on the snow, and slump across the counter dramatically until Ventus gave the fuzzy head a gentle ruffle.

“Rough day?” Ventus would ask, finding it easier to stick with yes and no questions, and the head nodded sluggishly, the body melting further on the counter.

“You got this!” Ventus would cheer him on, and he’d reluctantly drag himself off the counter and return to his post.

Sometimes when Ventus would cross the large distance between the cabin to the lodge, the rabbit would join him, walking silently by his side, ignoring anyone else.

“Hey,” Ventus would greet, knowing by now not the expect an answer. “Are you doing okay?”

The bunny shook it’s head, falling into step just a little closer until the soft fabric of the arm brushed against Ventus’ jacket.

“When’s your break?” Looking into the mascot’s black eyes would never not be a little weird.

He held up 2 padded fingers.

“2 hours?”

A nod.

Of course, Ventus’ break was in 3 hours. Would their times ever line up so he could actually speak to this guy at last?!

“Then you’re so close! Just hang in there, okay?”

Seeing the rabbit nod again, Ventus would gift his shoulder a pat, reluctant when he had to enter the building, leaving the bunny watching him depart in silence.

One time that stands out in Ventus’ mind like a spotlight is when this awful teen thought it’d be funny to sneak up behind the mascot and kick him with all his might. Ventus watched as the bunny was sent flying forwards, crashing into the compacted snow when his flailing arms failed to soften the fall. The sound of the teenager’s roaring laughter washed Ventus in a hot fury that burned him inside out even in the cold, and he was already plowing out the cabin door.

Ventus had sworn to himself he would never be rude to a customer, no matter how rude they might have been or how bad of a day he was having; but that day he made an exception.

“ _What the hell do you think you’re doing?!_ ”

Ventus planted himself between the struggling rabbit and the teenager, who was no longer laughing. “What, you think it’s funny to physically assault someone? I can call the manager over here right now and have you arrested! You touch him again and I swear to god prison is going to be the least of your worries. You need to leave, _now!_ ”

Ventus’ throat burned, and all eyes were on him, guests looking nervously to one another, maybe wondering if they were about to witness a murder, and honestly he wasn’t so sure they wouldn’t himself. The only saving grace was when the kid’s eyes widened as big as bowls and he raced away, darting around customers until he was out of sight. Ventus would remember his face in case he did something like this again.

The bitter air helped to cool off his fevered skin, entering his lungs when he breathed deep and calming his lungs.

As the watchers resumed their previous activities, he spun around and dropped to his knees in the snow next to the bunny, who had managed to get himself to a sitting position.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Ventus breathed, wanting to reach out and touch him but not wanting to be just like every other person who felt it was okay to place their hands on him without his permission.

The mascot’s face was, as usual, blank, bits of ice stuck around the nose from the fall. Ventus looked at it, maybe waiting for a nod, or even a reply, but he got neither.

Instead, the rabbit raised its big arms and yanked Ventus into a hug, pulling him until Ventus half fell on top of him in the snow.

Ventus sucked in a cold breath, never having asked for a hug but always secretly wanting one, and he was not disappointed—the suit was so soft and warm, like hugging a giant stuffed animal that could actually hold you back. It was a little awkward with how large the head was, but Ventus managed to set his hands around the rabbit’s shoulders, squeezing in a way that he hoped the boy inside would be able to feel through the padding. The world was cold, but between the two of them it was as warm as a campfire.

Ventus stayed there for an embarrassingly long time, but the bunny did too, only finally moving his arms away when a few people began looking at them.

“Can you stand?” Ventus asked quietly, now allowing himself to hold onto the mascot’s arms.

He nodded, the floppy ears bouncing lightly at the action. Ventus mustered up a grin.

“Let’s get you inside for now, okay?”

After helping him to his feet and walking him to the employee entrance, Ventus was stopped by the security manager, who he’d spoken to only a few times before.

“Aqua said she wants you to take the rest of the day off,” Terra said, a large hand gripping Ventus’ shoulder.

“She said what?” Ventus gasped, looking up into his brown eyes, searching for a joke.

“Just until tomorrow morning,” he explained, glancing over at the bunny who still leaned against Ventus for support, before giving Ventus a meaningful look. “You’re not fired, she just wants you to visit her office first thing tomorrow. But for now, head home and cool off.”

A billion concerns rushed through his head, bursting to escape. “But that kid! He—”

“I know,” Terra interrupted, removing his hand from Ventus. “You can discuss it with her in the morning.”

“Then,” he forced out, shifting his arm around the rabbit’s waist for support, “could you get him to the break room? Make sure he’s alright?”

Terra took up the guy’s other side, and the rabbit reluctantly allowed himself to be walked away from Ventus, fuzzy arm slipping from his shoulders, a slight limp in his step.

Ventus watched them continue down the hall, weight settled uncomfortable on his chest, but even as he turned to leave, he thought to tell Terra; “You should make sure no one else is there, he doesn’t like to be seen.”

Waiting for Terra’s “Will do!”, he shoved the door open and trudged back through the bitter cold towards the apartments.

The trip leaning against the frosty window in the shuttle, the time it took to stomp up the stairs, after a long scalding shower and staring up at the wooden ceiling in a daze for an hour or so was plenty of time for the moping to subside and the panic to take its place.

Ventus was so going to get fired. After an outburst like that to a paying customer, it was a miracle he wasn’t sacked on the spot for losing his cool on a kid.

In his head, round and round like a hamster hyped up on caffeine on a wheel, spun all the possible scenarios of how his conversation with Aqua might go tomorrow, each one worse than the last. Even with all of the defenses he could imagine for himself, they all fell weak in the presence of someone like Aqua—as the manager of the lodge and the first person to help him with his home sickness when he first came here a few years ago, he really looked up to her, and to think that he’d let her down…

It was worse than losing his job by far.

Just when he was beginning to enter the next stage of the ‘Procesings of Possibly Getting Laid Off (Step 3: Self Hatred)’, the once silent room began buzzing, the walls thumping with vibrations, from the ceiling leaking down to the floorboards.

Ventus was already about to lose it, but this might just be the thing that finally makes him snap for good.

Besides the overpriced rental fee and slow elevator to the ground floor, his annoying neighbor definitely took the prize for ‘Worst part of working at the Snow Bunny Ski Lodge’.

This guy, this _monster_ , lived directly above Ventus in room 51, and seemed to make it his new life’s purpose to make Ventus’ life a living hell at every possible chance, now including.

The music was so loud, Ventus had to wonder what brand of speakers he used to keep the bass from busting them. The chaotic muffled sounds of drums and electric guitars was grating on a good day and excruciating on a bad day.

Today was a bad day.

Ventus shot to his feet and snatched up the broom he had handy for this exact occasion, using the staff to beat the hell out of the ceiling, the banging noise competing with the neighbor’s music.

“ ** _Turn it down!_** ” Ventus yelled upwards, throwing the broom to the floor, and waiting impatiently to be obeyed.

Either the music was too loud for him to hear, or the asshole heard and was ignoring him either way. Ventus wasn’t sure which was worse.

So, growling a flood of curses under his breath, he ripped out a note page and scrawled on it with enough pressure to nearly rip the paper.

He was sure to get a noise complaint himself with how he stomped through the halls to the elevator up one floor to room 51, knowing better than to knock by now as he reached the stranger’s door, the speakers filling the half with buzzing, and shoved the note through the crack underneath the door instead.

_“Turn the music down or I will choke you!”_

Ventus spun on his heel and returned to his room.

This wasn’t the first note he’d left them, nor the first death threat, over the last few weeks. The notes only seemed humorous to him, seeing as he would receive the occasional reply under his own door.

_“It’s 11PM, please turn your music down.”_

_“What, you don’t like heavy metal?”_

_“Turn it off!!!”_

_“Make me, nerd.”_

_“If you don’t turn that off, I’m going to kill you in your sleep!”_

_“You wanna kiss me so bad.”_

Ventus wasn’t sure what made him more aggravated; the joking manner in reply to his serious notes, or the fact that the music never decreased in volume, at least twice a week. Actually, the music might have even gotten louder since then, just to spite him.

Unsurprisingly, his note had no effect tonight either, and he fell asleep with two pillows clamped around his head to block out the music.

  * ❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•



Ventus didn’t even try to hide the dark redness underneath his eyes before plodding out the apartment (another note under his door, written in the usual sloppy handwriting on sketchbook paper: _“Choke me? That’s hot ;)”_. What a freak), taking the shuttle up the mountain the lodge, nor could he stop the shaking in his bones in anticipation for his meeting with Aqua.

He might never right this bus again, might have to head right back to the apartments for the final time to pack up and head back home early. He might be scolded, might be banned from ever returning. He’d never be able to breathe in the mountain air, catch a movie with Sora, Riku, and Xion after work, take another photograph of the gorgeous sunset over the trees. Even though he had a thousand photos of that same skyline, he needed a thousand more. He couldn’t get enough of this place, this home he’d made for himself, he couldn’t take it if… If…

Ventus sort of blacked out the minute he entered Aqua’s office, but vaguely remembers her worriedly asking if he was okay, no doubt seeing him vibrate like a chihuahua and how he looked like he got 3 hours of sleep, because, indeed, he did. Ventus, with the few brain cells that weren’t running around in a panic, retold the events of yesterday from his point of view after being asked to, and waited in agony for what felt like a dozen minutes but must have only been a few seconds as Aqua considered his words.

“I understand,” she said, leaning on her desk in a relaxed way, a stark contrast to the way Ventus’ stiff spine didn’t even touch the back of the chair she had him sitting in. “We found the kid, and revoked his pass, so he’s not allowed back here. Actions like that can’t go unpunished. So, you won’t have to worry about him anymore.” She gave me one of her signature looks, strict yet gentle all at once. “But seriously, don’t swear at anyone else, got it?”

Ventus nodded frantically, blonde hair falling onto the bridge of his nose in his rush.

“Great! Alright, thanks for talking with me, go get ready for your shift.”

And with that, she slid over a file towards herself and flipped it open, beginning to read.

“W-Wait,” he wheezed, “I’m not fired?”

She peered up at him. “Fired? Why in the world would you think I’d fire you?”

“W-They-I—”

“Ven, you’re not fired, for heaven’s sake,” she breathed out in a way that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, “Do it a few more times and we’ll talk about it, but this was a one-time thing, you’ve been an excellent employee here for years now. Don’t worry so much, okay?”

Ventus could’ve sworn there was a creaking noise when he forced himself to nod, and he scurried out the office quickly, as if she might change her mind.

Ventus felt his chest crackling, the frozen fear there shattering inside him until his muscles threatened to turn to liquid, relief seeping through him like a warm cup of hot chocolate in a snowstorm.

The rollercoaster of emotions left him feeling exhausted, tired from a restless night and achy from being so tense, so instead of heading to his usual routine of getting down to the cabin early to clean up before opening time, he quickly got into uniform and slunk past the empty lobby and into the dining area, chairs stacked to keep the dust away and lights dimmed to a warm orange, the sun outside yet to break the horizon.

In a daze, he weaved through the chairs, heading for the fridge in the back to grab some water, in hopes that the coldness would wake him up a bit, but snapped out of it instead when he found that he wasn’t alone.

A man was behind the bar, wiping down the counter with a rag. He was already in uniform too, the dark burgundy button up shirt shifting like satin as he worked, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, the color making the skin there even paler. He wore an apron around his slender waist, the black matching the deep midnight of his hair, which was even more disheveled than Ventus’, the fringe hanging into his eyes while he looked down.

He must’ve been one of the many new baristas that had been hired this season, his new friend Xion being one of them. Ventus hadn’t yet had a chance to meet the rest yet, and despite his exhaustion, now was as good a time as any.

Ventus’ steps faltered for only a second before he continued his approach, and something about his eyes when he glanced up at Ventus had him pulling himself up onto one of the bar stools.

They were golden. His eyes, like a jack-o-lantern flames or burning embers, met Ventus’ before flicking across the rest of him for the first time. The fire in them warmed Ventus right up.

“Rough morning?” He asked, and his voice was smooth, just like the way he moved when he flipped a glass into his hand.

“Yeah,” Ventus sighed, trying not to stare, but unable to look away as the stranger wiped through the inside of the glass quickly. His fingers were long and thin. ‘Pianist’s hands’, his dad would’ve called them. “Almost got fired, throat hurts from yelling yesterday, and my ass of a neighbor kept me up all night.”

“Hm,” he stuffed down a grin, perhaps for Ventus’ sake, and gave him another glance, the warm toned lighting turning his eyes into sunsets, “Sounds like a real dick.”

“He is,” Ventus grumbled, settling his elbows on the counter and slumping over them, the cold marble on his hands only a taste of the freezing cold he’d be standing in for the rest of the day. For the first time ever, Ventus wasn’t looking forward to going to work.

“Maybe a drink will cheer you up,” the guy said, already working with his back to Ventus, the clinking of glass filling the empty room.

“No, no,” Ventus said, but didn’t lift up off his elbows, “I can’t drink before work, that’d—”

“No one will know,” he said over his shoulder, shifting his weight to the other hip in a very distracting way. Ventus looked back up quickly. “I’m not saying I’m gonna get you drunk here. You look like you’ve had a stick up your ass for the last 15 years, loosening up a bit wouldn’t hurt.”

A scoff came deep from Ventus’ throat, “I do not! I work at a ski resort for god’s sake, I—”

“You ski?”

Ventus let his argument melt on his tongue, blinking at the stranger’s shoulders. “Not really, I snowboard. It’s one of the reasons I work here in the first place.”

“The free pass is a nice bonus,” he said, a muffled clatter coming from his hands, where he worked quickly with ease. “And the pay.”

Ventus rolled his eyes, glad the guy couldn’t see him. “Counter workers don’t get paid nearly as much as bartenders, so scratch that perk off my list.”

He turned around, glass in his hand now filled with a honeyed caramel colored liquid, thin steam wafting off the top. He slid it across the counter, where it bumped lightly into Ventus’ jacket sleeve. Ventus eyed it warily.

“You are old enough to drink, right?” he asked, and when Ventus glared up at him there was a smirk on his face. His handsome face, Ventus thought instinctively, especially when he smiled, no matter how obnoxious the intention behind it was.

“Obviously,” Ventus retorted, taking the warm glass into his hand mainly out of spite. “Turned 23 in April.”

“Ha. I’m older. 24.”

Ventus scowled. “Does it matter?”

“It does.”

“You didn’t…” Ventus paused, staring into the liquid like the answer was inside, “like, drug this or something, did you?”

He set his hands against his hips, the dramatic movement forcing Ventus to notice the contrast of his slim waist to his broader shoulders. Focus, damn it. “Do I LOOK like the kind of guy to drug someone’s drink?”

Ventus didn’t hesitate, “Yeah.”

The guy stared at him in a way that reminded Ventus of a cat watching a mouse, and before he could decide if he should be terrified of the analogy, the guy snorted and turned away, picking back up the rag and continuing his cleaning.

“Well, I wouldn’t,” he said, and mumbled, “I really need this job.”

Ventus watched him a little longer, seeing how the dark eyelashes cast shadows over his eyes and the subtle movement of his jaw clenching. Finally, he lifted the glass and took a sip, almost flinching at the burn of apple and cinnamon in his throat as he swallowed. Ventus wasn’t one for alcohol, but it jolted his system to life, and he thought how dangerous it was, how good it tasted. He didn’t miss the smug look the man cast in his direction at his reaction.

“Being able to make something like this,” Ventus said, giving his glass a small shake, “would make me think you could get a job anywhere.”

“I can,” he replied, swinging the rag over his shoulder, and crossing his arms, facing Ventus again.

Ventus nodded slowly, wanting to know more but not brave enough to ask, what with the way this guy had his eyes rested on him.

“I see…” Ventus muttered, holding the cup with both hands, the glass on his fingertips smooth like ice.

The room was silent, and while it was clear the guy didn’t want to talk about this subject any more, it still seemed like he had something to say, so Ventus waited, taking another drink in an attempt to ignore being stared at.

“You really do look tired,” he finally said.

Ventus decided not to mention that as dark as the shadows under his own eyes were, this guy’s were 10x darker. But it suited him, in a strange way, the darkness like smudges of charcoal that brightened up his eyes all the more. So unfair.

“I am,” Ventus admitted, holding his eye contact, no matter how intense his gaze was. “But we’ve just gotta keep going, you know?”

The guy nodded, at last releasing Ventus from his hold by glancing downwards. Ventus forced himself not to look at the way he absently chewed at his bottom lip.

With a breath, the guy stepped closer and rested his palms on the marble, leaning across the counter into Ventus’ space. Ventus lifted up quickly and refused the temptation to lean away, instead meeting those eyes, now very very close to his own.

Ventus wanted to speak, wanted him to speak, wanting anyone to speak, but the other man seemed perfectly content to stay in silence, almost like he relished the way Ventus squirmed under his attention, enjoyed the way heat rose to Ventus’ cheeks as the man’s eyes wandered leisurely across his face, from the freckles on Ventus’ cheeks to the messy hair curling over his eyes to the way his throat moved when he gulped to the accidental way his tongue flicked out to lick his lips on impulse.

“What are y—”

“Name’s Vanitas,” he finally said quietly. Was that smell mint on his breath? “And for what it’s worth, I’m glad you weren’t fired.”

The guy, Vanitas, swooped away and busied himself with stacking mugs in the cabinets, as if he’d been there the whole time. Ventus blinked. And blinked again.

“I’m…” He cleared his throat. “I’m Ventus. But you can call me—”

“Ven. I know,” Vanitas said, and though Ventus couldn’t see him, he could hear the smirk in his voice.

The sunrise poured across the snowy mountaintops like honey, warm and thick, filling the distance air with tones of gold and pink, reflecting off the ice down the valley and the low hanging clouds like two mirrors, turning the world into flames. The color was so vivid, contrasting with the white of snow and fresh dark green of pine, Ventus was itching to take a picture for his photography account. But he’d left his camera back at the apartment in his anxious episode that morning.

So, he reached for the phone in his jacket pocket instead, holding it up to the horizon and snapping a few photos, the image clear and perfectly staged by nature alone.

Lowering the camera phone, Ventus watched the sunrise for long moments, not noticing the bitter breeze or the way his fingertips were shaking at his sides. These moments, breathing the brisk air and seeing the same air drift through the treetops two mountains away, causing speckles of glittering snow to fly across the valley, were what really made him feel alive. The money was fine, the snowboarding was great, but Ventus loved nothing more than seeing the stars at night, so crisp it’s like you could pick one right up into your hand, or the sunrises just like this one, that Ventus could watch far after it’d turned to daylight, ignorant of how blue his lips would turn.

Except, most mornings, he had work, of course.

“Great picture,” someone said behind Ventus, and he flinched, jerking his head over his shoulder to see Vanitas, who had also come out through the restaurant side door like Ventus. It was hard to tell how long he’d been there, but with the way his hands were in his leather jacket pockets and his relaxed stance, it must’ve been a while.

“Oh, yeah,” Ventus was embarrassed, somehow, at being watched in such a vulnerable moment, “I post them on my blog and stuff. Views always spike in winter when I come here cause of this.” He gestured to the scene before them.

Vanitas looked past Ventus to the sun, now brimming with notes of orange, and his combat boots crunched the snow underneath them as he stepped forwards to join next to Ventus. “I can’t blame them,” he muttered, and Ventus glanced over to see his expression hadn’t changed, perfectly neutral. Looking at a view like this, Ventus knew his awe showed all over his features, it was strange to see someone keep their feelings so guarded.

“Yeah,” Ventus agreed, but he was fascinated how the gold in the sunrise was nearly the exact same shade in Vanitas’ eyes.

Those eyes glanced over to him, nearly making him jump again. “What’s your username?”

“What…” he looked away quickly, “Oh. It’s WayfinderPhotos.”

The cold leather of Vanitas’ jacket brushed against the fluff of Ventus’ sleeve as he reached into his black jeans to pull out his own phone. “I’ll follow you,” he said, already pulling open the app.

“Th-Thanks!” Ventus peered over at the subtle pink from the wind beginning to grow on Vanitas’ cheekbones and narrow bridge of his nose, wondering if his face was a red mess by now, not just from the cold. He looked away quickly, then down at his hand when it buzzed with a notification.

‘VoidGear6 Has Followed You’, it read, and Ventus’ face ached with the grin he couldn’t push down.

“Don’t mention it,” Vanitas replied, tucking his phone back again, stepping a little away, which made Ventus feel just a little colder, but it was only so he could turn to look at Ventus properly. “C’mon, I’ll walk you to the cabin.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Ventus protested weakly, but Vanitas was already headed towards the log stairs leading down to the slopes. He hurried after him. “Don’t you have work too?”

“Shift doesn’t start till 8,” he said over his shoulder. “Besides, it’s nice to finally get to talk to you.”

“Uh, finally?” Ventus asked. ‘Nice?’, Ventus didn’t ask.

“I mean, Aqua wouldn’t shut up about you,” he corrected quickly. “So, what’s Wayfinder mean?”

Vanitas didn’t talk much. All the way down, he mostly asked questions of Ventus as if he’d had them written down beforehand, about his favorite music or when he first started working here or what his hometown further south was like. Ventus could hardly think to try and get to know him in return, too flustered by the sudden attention from this stranger. Though, no employee here was really like a stranger, especially not when Ventus was involved. He never struggled with speaking to others, like there was a certain light in him that made others want to soak him up as much as they could.

The sun rose slowly, steadily, but not as slow as the two of them walked, almost reluctant to reach their destination and part ways. Maybe Ventus was reading too much into it, but falling into step beside Vanitas felt natural, and as much distance as he initially put between them, that gap kept closing no matter what, like they both held the matching magnet in their hearts for one another.

Ventus would deny how many times he looked over at Vanitas, too ashamed to admit the number of times his breath froze like an icicle in his throat when he noticed the wind brushing Vanitas’ hair out of his face for a single second, or when he’d crack a smile at something stupid Ventus would say, his cold red nose crinkling every time he flashed the sharp whites of his canines.

Sure, he looked at Vanitas way too much, but he would feel a lot weirder about it if Vanitas wasn’t looking at him the same amount.

They’d look away from each other, quickly, gazes dancing around each other in a nervous sort of tune, but sometimes they wouldn’t look away, their footsteps carrying them on autopilot as they spoke, focused only on each other, like they were all alone in their own little snow globe. Then Ventus would stutter or forget what he had been saying, causing Vanitas to cackle cruelly at him, making the situation even worse when Ventus couldn’t help but think of his laugh as one of his favorite sounds.

Eventually, they did stop at Ventus’ station, still closed up except for the open door and light beaming through.

“Oh,” Ventus said, interrupting their conversation about current pets (Vanitas had a black lab named Flood back home with his grandfather). “Looks like Sora’s already here.”

“Sora?” Vanitas didn’t say it as if he didn’t know who that was, but as if he DID know exactly who that was, and absolutely didn’t want to see him.

Ventus turned at his tone, shooting him a look. “Yeah? He works with me here when—”

“I know,” Vanitas hissed out, looking flighty all of a sudden, eyes trained on the doorway, a stark different from his previously relaxed attitude. “I just—”

“Ven!” Sora pulled the door open further, stepping through it, smiling as bright as the sun, even so early in the morning. “You weren’t here, I thought for sure you---”

“I’ll see you,” Vanitas said so hurriedly it was almost one word, and while Ventus was still trying to decipher what he’d even said, he was gone, turned on his heel and marching away with impressive speed until he was hidden behind the storage sheds.

“Who was that?”

Ventus stared into space for a second before turning back to Sora, echoing back his confused expression. “I don’t…really know, actually.”

  * ❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•



Besides listening to the way Sora went on and on about ‘how totally fired’ he thought Ventus had been, Ventus didn’t have a single thought the whole day that wasn’t about Vanitas, and how strangely he fled the scene. He thought it’d been going well, a little too well, but the way he just left, Ventus couldn’t help but think it was his fault. Did he something wrong? In his tired but slightly buzzed state, he wouldn’t doubt he’d say something too forward or too dumb to forgive, but he really did try to keep a calm air about himself.

The only thing that pulled him from his thoughts was his worry for the poor mascot, who hadn’t returned that day. When Ventus asked that night, Terra told him the guy had gotten a slight sprain in his ankle, but it was nothing a few days off couldn’t help.

And, sure enough, the mascot was nowhere to be seen for 3 whole days. Somehow, this left Ventus’ days a little emptier than usual. Since when was he so dependent on seeing that dumb bunny to have a good day? But still, every time he eagerly looked out to the landing near the cabin where the rabbit was usually stationed only to find it barren, his heart would sink in disappointment.

(At one point, there was someone standing out in the bunny suit, but it wasn’t the usual employee. Ventus knew this from the way he waved wildly, only for the rabbit to stare at him for a minute before turning away, ignoring him. The height was too short, and he moved differently too, shoulders far too slumped and enthusiasm lower than the floor. The rabbit was visibly miserable, rudely moving away from guests or sitting against the wall in a way the previous guy would have never done. Ventus’ suspicions were confirmed when, after a few riled up tweens wouldn’t stop throwing themselves around his waist, he ripped off his rabbit head and threw it to the ground, where it rolled across the snow.

“ _THAT’S IT!_ ” he’d yelled, his voice heard all the way to Ventus’ cabin over the sounds of the children screaming, fleeing from him as he stormed off towards the exit, yelling all the way, his spiky mess of blonde hair matted to his head. “SCREW YOU! SCREW ALL OF YOU! TOUCH ME ONE MORE TIME AND I _SWEAR TO_ _GOD_ I’LL—”

He slammed the door to the employee’s cabin behind him, cutting off his slew of curses.

Ventus winced, slowly leaning over to Sora, whose eyes were as wide as a shivering chihuahua, “That was a… substitute, right?”

The bunny Ventus knew would certainly never do something like that.

Sora nodded just as slowly, big eyes turning to Ventus. “Yeah. Temporary employee, Roxas. Guess he’s not an employee anymore though, huh?” He nervously laughed.

Ventus breathed out, relieved despite himself that that guy was indeed not the rabbit he had grown so fond of. He did have to worry about the complaints and potential therapy Aqua would have to pay for, though.

There were no more attempts to replace the mascot after that day.)

To make matters worse, he hadn’t spoken to Vanitas since the day he bolted either. He had seen him through the restaurant windows, hard at work behind the bar, but Ventus could never bring himself to approach, suspicious that he was being avoided, what with the way Vanitas would turn away in a hurry when Ventus passed by the door on his way back home at night.

Thankfully, on the third night, the lodge closed up a few hours early, allowing the employees free reign of the slopes until midnight, giving Ventus a much needed break from thinking too much.

Ventus rode the slopes again and again until he’d long since lost count, shutting up his worries in the adrenaline flushing through his blood like ice and the wind flying past his face, turning the bit of hair uncovered by his knit hat and jacket hood a mess around his face.

Long after Sora and Riku left him to rest inside, likely with the intent of getting wasted, Ventus still rode alone, lost in the feeling that only this could bring him, the connection with his heartbeat that raced in his chest giving him a fresh spirit that he sought out here every winter.

“You should take a break, you look freezing.”

Ventus, stopped in the middle of pulling back on his goggles at the top of the slope to turn. Well, turn as best as you can with a board strapped to your boots.

Vanitas, in a black and red snowboarding jacket, was watching him, even as he leaned over the bench he sat on to strap his shoes into the bindings.

Part of Ventus wanted to flee off the side of the mountain, but he restrained himself, awkwardly penguin walking a little closer to hear Vanitas over the sound of skis racing behind them and laughter coming from the employee’s cabin across the clearing.

“I’m fine,” Ventus grumbled, crossing his arms firmly across his chest. It was a total lie; Ventus’ cheeks had begun to grow numb about 2 rounds ago.

Vanitas straightened up after strapping his ankle in, and looked up at Ventus, who met his eyes with a cautious mix of frustration and worry, “…Where were you?”

“What, were you looking for me?” Vanitas asked smugly, his smirk turning his eyes into a forest fire.

“Well, yeah,” Ventus answered honestly, glad the cold would cover any red in his face, “I wanted to make sure you didn’t hate me or something. I know we just met, but I’m sorry if I—”

“Ventus.” The way Vanitas said it was a command, and Ventus obeyed on instinct.

Vanitas peered up at him through thick dark eyelashes, his black beanie pushing his mess of dark hair over his raised brows. He looked amused, and a hint of something else Ventus couldn’t piece together while he was focusing so much on not looking away, as if even eye contact had to be a contest between them.

Vanitas wet his pale lips with his tongue, and Ventus’ gaze glanced downwards.

_Contest lost._

“I’m sorry,” Vanitas said quietly, and Ventus was surprised to hear such a word leave his mouth, “I didn’t mean to run and leave you like that. It… I’m—”

“Not very good with people?”

He blinked up at Ventus, reaching to grab the matching red gloves sitting beside him absently. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“I never would’ve guessed,” Ventus snorted, and Vanitas smacked Ventus’ stomach with his gloves before beginning to pull one on.

“Shut it.” Vanitas was stuffing down a grin behind a fake scowl as he buckled the first glove to his wrist. “Before you pass out—which you will, you look terrible—you wanna ride once?”

Ventus pretended to consider it, before thrusting out his hand, offering it down to Vanitas, who finished buckling the second glove before accepting the hand with his own, but not without using a harsh amount of unnecessary force that would have made Ventus’ palm sting without his own bright green gloves.

Ventus hauled Vanitas to his feet, and together the two hopped over to the edge of the slope. Vanitas pulled his hand away to adjust his hat and pull down his goggles. It was only then that Ventus even noticed they had still been holding hands.

“Ready?” Vanitas asked, and Ventus could see his own starstruck face in the reflection of his goggles. He was quick to pull up his hood and cover his face with his own goggles to hide it.

“Ready!”

Snowboarding with Vanitas was unlike everything Ventus had experienced. Better than the early mornings, better than watching the stars for hours, better than crawling into a warm bed after a freezing day out. Nothing could compare.

The two were nose to nose, speeding up when the other did, a challenge in the way Vanitas would pull a 360 spin from a side slip, and a taunt in the way he’d tailslide down a ramp. A challenge that Ventus accepted wholeheartedly, feeling his heart race in a way not even the steepest slope could provide.

Ventus feared, at one point, that he was going to completely wipe out, when he saw Vanitas who, slightly ahead of him on his side of the slope, bent low to his board, his balance strong and steady in a nose press, before launching off his leg into an ollie, drifting through the air like it was nothing, smooth and graceful in a way Ventus could never be, plaid scarf fluttering behind him like wings. The only reason he didn’t crash immediately in his distraction was the nagging feeling that Vanitas would never let him live it down.

Even as the two turned their boards to the heel side and slowed to a stop at the foot of the hill, Ventus heart was increasing in speed as he watched Vanitas across from him shove his goggles onto his hat, showing his face that was flushed and beaming with an exhilarated grin, flashing eyes focused only on Ventus as he panted.

Ventus thought that maybe this was the new best part about working at the Ski Bunny Lodge.

Ventus crashed into his bed without even bothering to take off his jeans, face buried in his old blue pillowcase like he could burrow in and hide there forever.

They went twice more up the ski lift together before Vanitas forced Ventus to rest, buying him dinner at the lodge with a handful of wrinkled dollars, before the two of them sat on one of public balconies on the 5th floor of the lodge with their feet hanging over the edge of the polished wood and shared their plate of spicy chicken wings and nachos. Ventus would have offered to buy something for Vanitas, since he didn’t get anything for himself, but his wallet was tucked into his work jacket 7 buildings away. Ventus couldn’t help but notice the scarce amount of remaining cash that Vanitas was quick to hide away, and told himself to ask if he needed any help later, fearing that a subject like that might ruin the night that was more perfect than anything. Besides, it seemed important to Vanitas to pay for them both.

They had spent hours up there, watching the skiers, so small so high up like ants, go down the hill, leaving patterns in the snow behind them. Hours later, when the employees trickled home and the blasting overhead lights shut off, leaving the lodge dark and sleepy, Ventus and Vanitas watched the stars instead, swarming above them in a million abstract patterns that Ventus made sense of by utilizing his astrology knowledge. Though Vanitas shoved his shoulder hard enough to splash some of his apple cider onto his sleeve, the smirk on his face was contagious and the fairy lights along the balcony filling his softened eyes with enough light to rival the stars above was captivating.

Sighing into his pillow, Ventus tried to calm the snowstorm in his mind, the day flashing through his mind in the disjointed form of conversation and lingering looks, touches both accidental and purposely playful.

His pocket buzzed, and he pulled his phone out, peeling his face from his pillow only to find the notification was new comment on his photo of the sunrise that one morning.

‘VoidGear6: Nice View ; )’

Ventus gave the screen a goofy smile.

Upstairs, the ass of a neighbor began blasting his music, right on time, but this time in was classic rock, rather than metal, so Ventus couldn’t bring himself to mind.

  * ❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•



The bunny was back.

The next morning, as Ventus trudged tiredly up the billion steps to his cabin, the chilly air yet to fully wake up his brain, he caught sight of something moving, and looked up from the crunching snow.

The rabbit, already in his spot like usual, gave him a wave with its big pink paw. It almost looked like he had been waiting just for Ventus and, though he knew better, Ventus broke out into both a grin and a run across the clearing, straight towards him.

He was throwing his arms around the mascot and squeezing him in a hug before he could think to hesitate. “You’re back!”

He felt pats on his back from the big glove as the rabbit returned the hug, and nuzzled his cheek against the soft fabric of the suits helmet.

Ventus pulled back only enough to look into his ‘eyes’, gripping the paws in his own hands. The pink pads on them were actually squishy beneath his fingers. “Are you okay?”

The bunny nodded, the top of one ear bouncing down to tap the top of Ventus’ head, making his smile grow bigger. “Good! I was really worried about you. It’s been… really quiet out here with you gone.”

Even though, with no customers yet around them, the bunny was probably okay to speak, he refused to, instead tipping his head to one side and removing one hand from Ventus’ to pat the side of his face instead. It was a sweet gesture, but it would have been sweeter had the mascot had more coordination than what the oversized glove provided.

Ventus laughed, his hair getting mussed into his face, and before he knew it the bunny was definitely doing it on purpose, ruffling his hair until it was a sufficient mess. He laughed more.

The rabbit, apparently satisfied with the chaos he had caused, leaned forwards enough to gently boop Ventus’ nose with his own plastic pink one, then hurried away, taking up his position closer to the gates where the first visitors of the day were beginning to gather.

Throughout the rest of the day, Ventus kept catching himself glancing over at the rabbit, who was back to his usual playful self, much to the delight of the guests and Ventus himself. The glance was always full of smiles, fond eyes caught by the bunny, when the two would give each other a small wave before getting back to work. His ankle seemed to have healed quickly, as he strutted across the snow without much of any limp, the bruises of his past assault likely nearly faded. Ventus would have liked him to take a few more days off, knowing firsthand that 3 days was hardly enough time to lose the sting of a twisted bone, but he also understood not being able to afford that long without pay.

Finally, everything was back to normal, and everything was as it should be as Ventus worked side by side with Sora, handing over snowboards and sizing helmets for various skiers over the cabins counter. Ventus was still high from the night spent talking late into the night with Vanitas, the past fear of getting fired was a hazy memory, and even his favorite bunny was back where he should be next to Ventus.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the rabbit waving wildly to get his attention. Looking over the shoulder of his customer, Ventus watched as the bunny held his paw to his snout before dramatically tossing the hand in Ventus’ direction; he blew a kiss.

Ventus chuckle to himself, raising his arm and pretending to catch it, placing the metaphorical kiss onto his cheek. Though the rabbit was promptly mauled be a toddler and the customer in front of Ventus was watching him like he was crazy, the warmth in Ventus glowed in a way he was afraid others could see.

Wait…Since when did the bunny blow kisses to Ventus?

Most other forms of affection and annoyance, sure, but this was new.

And…Since when did Ventus like it so much?

While externally he was counting change back to pass to the gloved customer, internally Ventus was cast into disarray; why did he feel so guilty?

As if by accepting a goofy display from the lodge’s mascot Ventus was somehow cheating on the bartender Vanitas, who he wasn’t even dating!

Ridiculous, Ventus scoffed to himself, to even think such a thing. Whatever was happening with Vanitas, he was content to take his time, every second spent with the obnoxious-but-charming raven haired man making his heart feel at home.

But, he spent just as much time thinking about and looking at this polite-and-kind bunny, who, despite never saying a single word, had brought Ventus to care so much for him. But he didn’t even know who that rabbit was!

Ventus stared vacantly at the cash register, not really seeing anything, as his thoughts spiraled even further, each thought more ridiculous than the last, but he could only scold himself for the thoughts, not stop them from pouring out.

He found his eyes wandering upwards as his brain turned into a chaotic burning pile of stupid thoughts, until they rested on the elusive bunny in question, who was just waving goodbye to a group of teenagers after taking photos with him.

_What a sweetheart…_

Ventus was shook out of his anxiety riddled mind when he noticed the rabbit reach down and rubbed subtly at the knee of the suit. Was his ankle still bothering him? Was he—

Ventus gasped, his heart sinking through his feet as the rabbit went to take a step, but his leg gave out and he toppled to the ground, barely in time to clumsily catch himself with his paws.

“Again?” he vaguely heard Sora mutter behind him as he whipped open the door and hustled across the clearing, careful not to slip on the groomed snow, once more dropping to his knees beside the mascot, who was quick to get off his hands and knees to avoid pressure on his right leg.

“You’re not really okay, are you?” Ventus hissed out to him, almost scolding as he tried to reach out to help the bunny shift into a safer sitting position. His stern voice melted out of him when the rabbit shook his head in confirmation.

“I knew you shouldn’t be out here yet. Come on, I’ll help get you inside.” Ventus readied himself on his feet before helping the injured rabbit to his unstable feet, the large plush shoes hindering his movements even further.

Hooking his arm underneath the mascot’s fuzzy waist, Ventus led the way slowly to the employee’s entrance, just like last time.

“If I didn’t know better,” Ventus laughed quietly, “I’d say you’re doing this on purpose just to get me to take care of you.”

The bunny nodded, but Ventus knew it was a joke by how much weight he needed supported and how low his head hung.

Down the hall, through the breakrooms, and past the restrooms, Ventus brought the bunny to the lockers and changing rooms, where the rabbit insistently pushed Ventus off him, using the wall for support instead as he hobbled over to a private changing stall.

“Are you sure?” Ventus asked, hovering closely in case he stumbled again, but the bunny was nothing if not stubborn, nodding his head and shutting the door with a firm SLAM in Ventus’ face.

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” Ventus grumbled, meandering a few steps away from the stall, where rustling noises came from behind the thin walls.

“I wouldn’t look at your face, you know.” Ventus took a seat on one of the benches, thankful it was only the two of them in there anyway. “Not that I get why that matters, at all, but I just want to help with your leg, you know. I could grab some ice, or…Hey, seriously, are you okay in there?”

The small gap under the stall walls showed the rabbit helmet tossed to the floor, and despite everything Ventus’ heart sped up, desperate to know the face underneath that mask. But, even more distracting, the panting coming from the shut door was louder than it should be. Ventus leaned halfway off the bench, ready to bolt up, listening closely.

Another rustle of fabric, and a sudden gasp of breath was all Ventus needed and bolt he did.

In two steps he crossed the changing room and gripped the door handle, swinging it open. “Listen, I’m sorry, but you need help or—"

Wide gold eyes whipped up to look at Ventus’ from his place on the floor.

“V…Vanitas?!”

And, yeah, there he was, the bartender who effortlessly reduced Ventus to a flaming hot mess, sitting on the stool dressed from the neck down in luscious fluffy white fur.

Vanitas opened his mouth to hopefully explain himself, but all that came out was, “Shit.”

Ventus stood frozen in the doorway, glancing down only once to see how the large paws held onto his ankle, then back up to his face, which stared right back at him with equal amount of disbelief.

Vanitas was a disheveled, soaking wet mess, his face paler than normal, his hair sweaty and rumpled from the mascot helmet.

_Still beautiful…_

_**SMACK** _

Ventus slapped his shoulder, the sound dulled by the thick fur of the suit.

“Ow! Hey!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Ventus demanded, stepping into the dressing stall just so he could leer over Vanitas even more.

“I didn’t exactly want anyone to know, okay?” Vanitas hissed, his shock turning into a snarl.

Ventus narrowed his eyes, “It’s just a mascot uniform, Vanitas, it’s not like you’re—”

“I don’t mean the suit, idiot,” Vanitas sighed, the grip on his leg tightening, “Forget it, you can leave.”

But Ventus didn’t move, remaining planted in front of him, waiting for him to speak.

The look Vanitas shot up to him was somehow just as defensive as it was vulnerable, “I _mean_ that I work multiple jobs. I’ve got more around the city, anything I can get. Me and my gramps, we… I need the money, alright?”

The end was quiet with the way he turned his head away, eyebrows pulled low over his eyes until a worried line appeared between them.

Only their breathing filled the silent air, Vanitas’ in small huffs, until Ventus reached his hand out and touched Vanitas’ chin, guiding his face back towards his own.

After Vanitas finally looked at him, Ventus smiled softly. “Thank you for telling me the truth,” he said quietly. Vanitas’ jaw flexed under his fingers, but he didn’t answer immediately.

“You still don’t have to stay, I’m fine if—”

When he finally spoke, it was quickly cut off by Ventus, who was already sinking to the floor and shoving Vanitas’ rabbit gloves away from his leg.

“You must be dumber than you look,” Ventus told him as he pulled attempted to pull up the pant leg of the suit, but the small space between Vanitas and the stall wall behind him didn’t allow much space to work, and the suite seemed extra snow-proof, firmly closed around his ankles. “I think it’s admirable, actually, that you work so hard for your family. What about with Sora? Why’d you run like that?”

“That little runt ran into me in the lockers, he’d recognize me and tell you.” Now it was Vanitas who pushed away Ventus’ floundering fingers with an exasperated sigh, hurrying to pull off one of his paw gloves with his teeth, using the bare hand to pull up the leg cuff and kick the shoe off, revealing a human foot covered in a thick wool sock, printed with rainbow designs the word ‘GAY’ woven into the fabric.

Ventus snorted, “You—your—”

“Yeah yeah, just help me get this thing up!” Vanitas barked, annoyed. And was he _blushing_? That’s new.

Still snickering, Ventus helped to pull the leg cuff up before carefully rolling down the top of the sock, his fingertips brushing over Vanitas’ skin, which was burning up, until he could properly see his ankle, which was swollen purple, red bruises blossoming around the joint like sick flowers.

Ventus carefully moved more of the fabric away, leaning a little closer, not missing the way Vanitas hissed out a breath at his cold fingers touching the feverish skin. His voice, however, was not so gentle, “I _told you_ not to hurt yourself more!”

“It’s not even that bad!”

“Are you telling me THIS doesn’t look bad?” Ventus gestured wildly to his ankle, then gasped. “Wait, we snowboarded together! With this?!” He grabbed Vanitas’ knee and shook it.

“Ow, damn it, stop!” Vanitas kicked him in the shoulder, glaring down at him. “What was I supposed to do?!”

“Don’t go back to work and make it worse!”

“And let the old man gamble himself straight to the homeless shelter? No thanks!”

Ventus peered into his guarded face, shoulders falling, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know he—”

“Would you just shut up and help me out of this damn fursuit?!”

Nodding, Ventus hurried up to his knees, where he took the hand impatiently held out to him, beginning to pull the rabbit glove off while Vanitas struggled to unclip the back of the suit with the other bare hand.

Even once the plush paw was dropped to the floor, joining the helmet and shoe in the corner, Ventus touched his thin hand, warm and slightly rough from days of work.

Seeing Vanitas quickly growing even more agitated at the suit, Ventus stood and circled around him, muttering a quiet, “Geez, calm down,” as he unzipped the back for him.

Finally free, Vanitas ripped his arms from the sleeves and shoved the suit downwards, where it pooled at his waist as he still sat. Underneath, he wore a long sleeve black sweater, but instantly Vanitas eagerly yanked that off as well, his arm nearly elbowing Ventus’ face in the process. The shirt was tossed carelessly, once more joining the ever growing pile of rabbit body parts.

Ventus could only be distracted by the way the dark tank top lay flush across his lean stomach, thick chest, and narrow waist before noticing the concerning amount of sweat over his pale muscled arms. This skin was faintly littered with old, faded scars, and Ventus wanted to know the story behind each one.

“Whoa, are you feeling okay?” Ventus asked, voice small, as he knelt in was little space there was in the stall.

Vanitas, still breathing roughly, scrubbed a hand through his mess of black hair and shot him a look, “What do you think?”

“Is it like this every time?” Ventus wondered, feeling an ache in his heart more now that he could see what the lovable mascot bunny had to go through.

“Not usually this bad,” Vanitas admitted, and Ventus wondered what kind of crazy strong deodorant he wore for this job, because seriously, how did this guy smell so amazing, like freshly cut pine. “I think I should probably…”

“Go lay on a couch for a week with a pack of ice?” Ventus guessed smugly.

Vanitas grunted, but his glowering eyes were weakened by the unhealthy yellow hue to his skin and the dark, tired circles under his eyes.

Ventus reaching for the phone in his jacket pocket. “I’ll text Aqua and let her know I’m helping you home.”

“I hate you,” Vanitas complained, the back of his head thudding dully against the wall.

“Yeah, I know,” Ventus grinned.

  * ❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•



“Y-Y-You— _WAIT_ , you seriously had a crush on the rabbit mascot?!”

Ventus groaned, dragging a hysterically cackling Vanitas a little rougher by the waist as he helped him amble out of the elevator. “I KNEW I shouldn’t have told you!”

“Good thing we turned out to be the same person then, ay Ventus?” Vanitas used the excuse of needing more support to weave his arm further around Ventus shoulder, smirk and smug eyes only an inch away from Ventus face, breath warm on his cheek, which was resolutely facing forwards.

“I’m going to drop you,” Ventus threatened, bumping his hip into Vanitas’.

“You would never,” Vanitas purred, nudging him back.

Saved from having to agree with Vanitas, they arrived at Vanitas’ hall, where Vanitas pulled the two of them towards his apartment door.

While he was busy digging in his leather jacket for his key, Ventus stared at the door number with sheer disbelief.

“Room 51…wait,” he mumbled, before his eyes began to widen, “Don’t tell me you’re—”

“One floor above yours, Venty,” Vanitas confirmed, his teeth and eyes flashing under the hallways warm lighting, even as Ventus face morphed into one of shock and horror.

This time, Ventus really did toss Vanitas off his shoulder, Vanitas howling with laughter the whole time.

**Author's Note:**

> I truly hope you enjoyed reading this goofy story as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
> Feel free to leave a comment, and come talk to me about Vanitas on Twitter at @CassidyLeora  
> Merry Christmas everyone!!!


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